I truly didn't think I'd witness anything more annoying during the Winter Olympics than Ilya Kovalchuk taking a disproportional amount of pride in running roughshod over a rendition of Team USA that became castrated by the NHL's decision to opt-out of the Olympics. Unfortunately, the undeniable vindication that has played out in favor of both Gary Bettman and the owners is getting pretty close to nipping at its heels. I hate to say it as much as everyone who has found themselves half-invested in watching second rate talent battle for eternally compromised medals hates to hear it, but the NHL couldn't have hoped for a better result as it pertains to justifying their absence. The dip in ratings that has proven that the IOC should have bucked up the money to make sure that one of the most alluring sports in the Winter Olympics was truly being played between the best-of-the-best held the nail in place, and the fact that their replacements can't even take their gloves without having to worry about leaking from both ends hammered it home. Now, that doesn't mean that I think the league was worried about anything other than their own bottomline, but the fact that they can legitimate claim they took a calculated safety precaution on behalf of the health of their athletes really puts a muzzle on whatever criticism you'd hope to cast their way. Having all the leverage allowed them to go against the wishes of their players, and a goddamn international norovirus has only strengthened their argument in the pissing (and apparently shitting and puking) contest that is their future involvement in international play. We're approximately one step away from watching hockey players from all over the world be forced into adapting to South Korean culture by taking the ice for Olympic supremacy in the same type of headwear that you expect to see on an Asian tourist in transit. If that's not a win for the league that surely wanted some reinforcement for their selfish decision to steer clear of a risk-reward that should have theoretically fit their plans for global growth then I don't know what the hell is.
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